


build me up buttercup

by messagemandi



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Soft Bucky Barnes, Wakanda, both of the boys can’t dance, bucky is a grouchy old man but steve makes him soft, i know build me up buttercup came out in the 60’s but for convenience let’s pretend it didn’t, nostalgic bucky barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-08 16:31:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15247320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/messagemandi/pseuds/messagemandi
Summary: Bucky’s feeling a little lonely and out of his time as he gets all his memories back. Steve tries to help him out.





	build me up buttercup

Ever since arriving in Wakanda, Bucky had spent his time awake from cryofreeze feeling left out and alone. 

Of course, they took good care of him, and Shuri was decent enough company when she was actually around, but he longed for someone who understood him, and who saw him as more than someone who needed to be fixed. 

So when Shuri told him that Steve would be arriving at some point after a few weeks of absence, Bucky was excited to say the least.

“What time is he arriving?” Bucky asked Shuri as she sat in front of him, watching the workers help clean Bucky up a bit. 

“Calm down, White Wolf. The man is a fugitive, he doesn’t exactly give us many details to go off. He’ll get here when he gets here.” The young princess scolded him, smiling as Bucky rolled his eyes. 

“But...” Bucky began to speak, but Shuri cut him off sharply. 

“But nothing! It could be in an hour, it could be in a few days! We’re at least fixing you up so you don’t look like a greasy, sweaty mess when you see your Captain. Count your blessings.” Shuri poked his chest. Bucky laughed. 

After Bucky had been cleaned up, they escorted him to get changed into a simple black t-shirt with sweatpants. When he came downstairs to the throne room to meet Shuri, escorted by the guards, he stopped when he saw a figure talking to T’Challa. 

Steve was so recognisable from his broad shoulders and his slightly longer hair that Bucky didn’t even need to take a second glance because he knew who it was. Bucky cleared his throat, trying to be subtle, but Steve spun around with a tight smile on his lips, and a growing beard on his face.

“Buck.” The man said, moving over to him and enveloping him in a tight hug. 

“Hey Steve.” Bucky said, using his right arm to snake around Steve’s shoulders. When the pair pulled away, Bucky heard a chuckle. He glanced over his shoulder to see that Shuri was watching from the doorway with a large grin on her face. 

“You knew didn’t you?” Bucky said accusingly, and Shuri raised her hands in defence.

“I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.” She smiled. 

-

Bucky and Steve were standing on a balcony together, looking over the fields of Wakanda as the sun began to set. 

“I missed you.” Bucky spoke first, almost immediately regretting it after the words left his lips. He hated sounding so pathetic, especially in front of Steve, especially since the roles used to be reversed when they were younger when Bucky was the one protecting Steve. 

“I missed you too, Buck.” Steve said, smiling at his best friend. 

“How long will you be here?” Bucky met Steve’s eyes, preparing himself for disappointment as soon as Steve went to open his mouth. 

“I don’t know. Sam and I can’t stay in one place too long.” Steve pondered, looking away from Bucky and back towards the open fields. 

“Oh.” Bucky tried not to show his clear disappointment as Steve frowned. 

“I’m sorry, Buck.” Steve said, and Bucky just closed his eyes and nodded.

“Remember...” Bucky began but trailed off, scared of getting his words wrong as he struggled through his memories. Steve stood there, waiting patiently as Bucky tried to find the right words. 

“Remember when we used to go dancing? And you’d cue up Stardust by Artie Shaw on the jukebox?” Bucky opened his eyes, looking at Steve who was smiling at the memory. 

“Yeah. You’d drag the cutest dame you saw that night out onto the floor and dance with her.” Steve reminisced, picturing Bucky clearly in his nice clothes, his hair short, and the unmistakable smile on his face that never left him in the era before the war. 

“I miss that. I miss when times were simpler. When music was good, when I could think straight, and when you weren’t taller than me.” Bucky teased, and Steve gave him a small chuckle, before his eyes lit up with the ‘I have an idea’ look. 

“Buck, I don’t think Shuri or T’Challa will like it, but I have an idea.” 

Bucky looked at him and raised an eyebrow, both interested and slightly scared. Every time Steve did this when they were back in Brooklyn, it never ended well. 

“Do I get to know what it is?” Bucky asked, and Steve firmly shook his head. 

“It’s no fun that way. I’ll surprise you.” 

-

Bucky had radio silence from Steve over the next couple days. He had been ordered by Shuri to attend to the goats out on one of the farms on the outskirts of the main city of Wakanda.

“The Captain has ordered me to keep you away from the town for the time being. You’re exiled until further notice!” She had claimed as she all but shoved him out of his spot in the palace. 

When he arrived, the hut was stacked and prepared with things he would need for about a week, so Bucky practically gave up hope on seeing Steve for a while and went about minding his own business. 

Bucky was out in one of the pens on Saturday evening, filling the silos with feed, when he heard a loud engine roaring towards him. He squinted into the distance, the soft Wakanda wind blowing his long brown hair and his loose robes. 

Bucky had to physically stop his jaw from dropping as he saw a classic car, straight from the 1940’s driving along the gravel towards him, with a particularly suave looking Steve Rogers sitting behind the wheel. 

Bucky moved to meet the car, watching as Steve pulled up in front of the hut. 

Steve took off his large sunglasses, meeting Bucky’s gaze, trying to look as serious as he could at the disheveled man in front of him. 

“Hey there, doll.” Steve said slyly, and Bucky quickly picked up that he was making fun of how Bucky used to hit on girls back in Brooklyn. 

“Hey there, Captain.” Bucky smiled shyly in response, but the smile was disrupted by him failing to hold in his laughter at the sight of Steve trying to be flirty. He eyed Steve up- taking in the slick outfit- the matching blazer and pants with the hat sitting on the seat next to him. 

“I’ve got something for you in the backseat. How about you grab it and then you and I’ll go do somethin’?” Steve raised his eyebrow and Bucky looked at him with confusion. 

“Oh, so you avoid me and get me exiled from town for a week and now you come crawling back?” Bucky would’ve folded his arms if he had the ability, but instead he just shook his head in disappointment. 

“Buck, I swear I have a reason. You’ll see when we get there. Just trust me.” Steve had pleading eyes, and Bucky felt his barriers weaken. 

“Damn it, Steve. Okay.” Bucky sighed, moving to the backseat of the convertible, looking down at the seat to see a pair of blue dress pants with a leather belt, a crisply ironed white button up with only one sleeve and a pre-tied tie to go with it. It almost immediately reminded Bucky of something he would’ve worn out in the late 30’s and the early 40’s. 

“Steve? What is this?” Bucky asked, picking up the outfit with his hand, slinging it over his arm. 

“Go put it on, Buck. Then we’ll talk.” Steve smiled, tipping his head towards the hut. 

Bucky obeyed, disappearing into the hut and changing himself as quickly as he possibly could with one arm, not wanting to keep Steve waiting. He silently thanked whoever had looped his belt for him, struggling to do up the pants and the buttons. About 10 minutes later he emerged from the hut, looking slightly out of it, wearing the sandals that T’Challa had given him. 

“Before you joke about the sandals, Shuri’s already bet you to it. You try tying shoelaces with one arm.” Bucky grumbled, opening the car door and sitting in the front seat as Steve put the hat that was previously occupying the seat on his head. 

“I don’t mind the sandals.” Steve said honestly, starting the engine and turning the dial on the radio up. Bucky let out a laugh as he heard Stardust by Artie Shaw beginning to play. He tapped his foot along to the beat as Steve began to drive him back to the town, humming along to the smooth saxophone as he leaned his head back, letting the wind comb its long fingers through his hair. 

By the time the song had played its course, the pair had arrived back and town and were still driving. More 40’s music was playing through the car stereo, Bucky recognised the upbeat tune of Take the ‘A’ Train by Duke Ellington. 

“Stevie, where are we going?” Bucky questioned, looking to his best friend. Steve just smiled, continuing to keep his eyes on the road as he drove. 

When the car came to a halt, they were outside a small tavern on the outskirts of the town, and Steve rushed out of his seat to get Bucky’s door. Bucky looked up at the frantic Steve with a chuckle. 

“Y’know, you were never good at being the secretive one.” Bucky teased. Steve scoffed, gesturing Bucky towards the bar. 

“I mean, I managed to keep this secret from you for a week.” Steve retorted as they walked. 

“Don’t get too cocky-“ Bucky began to say as he pushed the door to the tavern open, before stopping in his tracks. 

The bar inside looked exactly what it would’ve looked like in the 40’s- when Bucky would’ve sat at the bar stool, ogling at the pretty girls as he ordered his beer, and where Steve would get asked for identification before he could order anything. 

The jukebox in the corner was already playing upbeat swing style music, and there were already two cups of whiskey on the bench of the bar in front of two lone stools. 

Bucky stepped in, shock and nostalgia washing over him as he stood on the dance floor, soaking in the warm brown wooden exterior, and the feeling of being back home in Brooklyn without anything to fear or anyone to run from. 

After he’d taken a few minutes to take it all in with no sounds but the hum of the jukebox music, Bucky turned back to Steve. 

“Steve... did you..?” Bucky was at a loss for words, but he hoped Steve got what he was trying to say. 

“I had to clear it with Shuri and T’Challa, of course. I’m not allowed to just come in and completely take over a building in their home, but yeah. I thought that since you don’t have me all the time, it’d be nice to have something that reminds you of Brooklyn. Of home.” 

Steve didn’t need to explain, because Bucky got it. Having a place that was so close to what the world was like back before the war meant that there was a safe place for just Bucky and Steve- before Hydra, before The Avengers. No Winter Soldier, master assassin, and no Captain America, the man out of his time. Just Steve Rogers, the little kid who lost both his parents, and James Buchanan Barnes, the boy who cared about him. The two best friends from Brooklyn. 

Bucky felt his eyes begin to prickle, and he embraced Steve in a tight hug, his right arm slung tightly around Steve’s neck. Steve stumbled a bit, before reciprocating, not wanting to let Bucky go. 

“Thank you, Steve. Thank you.” Bucky choked out, trying his hardest not to let his voice waver as a loose tear slipped from his eye. He leaned forward and let it drop to the floor so it wouldn’t stain Steve’s clean blazer. 

“You’re welcome, Buck. You know how much you mean to me, and I wanted to show that.” Steve said softly in his friend’s ear, and Bucky smiled. The duo pulled apart, and Bucky looked over to the glasses of whiskey. 

“How about we have a drink and then a dance?” He suggested, and Steve laughed. He nodded in agreement, taking his glass and raising it in the air. Bucky did the same, holding it close to Steve’s. 

“Til the end of the line.” Steve said, the words slipping out naturally. 

Bucky let out a small hum in agreement. “Til the end of the line, Steve.” 

The pair clinked their glasses, smiling as they swung back their drinks, the alcohol not even affecting either of the pair as they downed them in one gulp. 

Bucky put his cup back down on the bar before moving towards the jukebox. He took in the familiar sight, running his fingers over the buttons. 

“Is this thing really from the 40’s?” He asked, looking over his shoulder as Steve poured them both another glass of whiskey. 

“Yeah. Shuri polished it up, made it all pretty, added some songs. She even gave me a bunch of coins that we can put into it to have it play. Three plays for a dollar.” Steve took an odd shaped coin out of his pocket, handing it to Bucky. Bucky took it, pondering before picking two songs. He gestured Steve over to pick the third one. 

“Oh, you haven’t heard this one before, probably. Sam played it for me, and I knew you’d like it.” Steve pressed the third button, steering Bucky away before he could inspect what choice Steve had made. 

The pair went back to their seats, downing more whiskey and laughing at each other like they did when they were younger. The only thing missing was-

“Oh Buck, it’s the song!” Steve stood as the swing style song kicked in. He offered his hand to Bucky. 

“Come dance with me.” He said, and Bucky froze up. 

“Steve, I haven’t danced since the 40’s.” Bucky admitted, not wanting to stand, scared of disappointing Steve. 

“Well, that makes two of us. C’mon, Buck!” Steve grabbed Bucky’s right arm and led him onto the dance floor. 

Bucky grumbled as the pair began to spin and twirl, but the tension soon turned into laughter as they danced together, the world outside of the bar melting away and leaving Bucky with a blooming warm feeling in his chest. Steve was singing along to the song softly as they danced, taking in Bucky’s genuine smile, which was something he didn’t see often. 

As the chorus came around again, the pair met eyes, smiling warmly and unconditionally at each other. An overwhelming feeling of safety and home washed over Bucky, and he reminded himself that wherever he was, as long as he was with Steve, it would all be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is the first thing i’ve ever posted on ao3! i haven’t written anything in a while so i’m getting back into the swing of things. i just have a lot of love for bucky and steve and they deserve to be happy so i thought i’d write something fluffy and pure!!!!


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